Taming the Darkness
by Goldbryn Callow Lyte
Summary: Daxter is kidnapped by Erol, Experiments and torture await, 2 DarkEco sages help and muck around, Jak looks for Daxter, and Daxter is changed for both the good and the bad. JakDaxter yaoi! CHAPTER 5 UP!
1. Taken

This is put up as PG-13, but WILL turn into R before long…

Disclaimer: I own nothing…well…nothing yet…but just you wait…::evil grin::

Daxter is kidnapped, two new Dark Eco Sages show up, and Dax is used for bait to lure Jak to his death…but what happens when "allies" rebel, innocence is lost, and love is found?

**Taming the Darkness – Chapter 1 - Taken**

It _had_ been a normal day. Well, normal in the sense that since they had gotten up they had not been shot at, chased, hit, yelled out, or viciously attacked by a renegade Metalhead.

But, as it always is on those days, something goes horribly wrong and everything just goes to hell.

And that's well they were now—Hell. Daxter gripped Jak's shoulder as though it was his singular life line…and it was, but that's beside the point. They had been jet boarding through the East Bazaar when Jak, to no fault of his own, hit a curb on a turn which propelled both elf and ottsel into one of the patrolling Krimzon Guards.

It had been all downhill from there. The personally affronted guard sent out the signal to all of his buddies, and half the fucking army rushed in to fry the kid and rat that bruised the poor soldier's ego.

Daxter let out a scream as Jak twirled, knocking three guards down as he pulled out his Morph gun and switched it to Pulse mode. "C'mon Dax!!" he growled as he took off, weaving and dodging random shots from behind, and shooting with the Pulse Rifle whenever a guard got in their way.

"Over there Jak!!" Daxter yelled grabbing the older elf's ear and pointing to an abandoned zoomer not twenty feet away.

"Right!" Jak make a quick turn and dodged an oncoming tazer shot and jumped onto the one seat zoomer.

Smiling wildly, Daxter whooped and turned around as the zoomer lifted off the ground and went to take off. He stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry to all the Krimzon Guards who were still trying to catch them.

"Sit down Dax!" Jak laughed as they sped through the gardens, dodging and switching flying altitudes to avoid more guards.

"What a pessimist!" Daxter held onto Jak's collar. "Do you think someone as cool and collected as I would be scared of falling off a zoomer!?"

Jak laughed again. Daxter was the only one who could really make him laugh. He shook his head and slipped around the corner and headed back towards the slums, knowing that it would be easy to lay low there until it was safe. "No…I just don't want some crazy pillock to come zooming over you and knock you off." He lifted one hand off the handle bars and flicked Daxter in the nose. "If I have to go down there and face a slew of goddamn guards because you're plastered all over one of their masks, I'll kill you."

"Har har." Daxter said sarcastically, but lowered his head and tightened his grip.

The rest of the ride was silent save for the normal sounds of Haven City. The red alert had been called off a little while after their escape from the bazaar, but they were not going to take any chances.

Jak found it quite disconcerting though, that whenever he flew by or over a Krimzon Guard, they would watch him intently for a moment before saying something into his helmet receiver.

Jak turned down one of the strips that lead to the dead end alley that held the Underground.

They had almost made it when Daxter let out a yelp of surprise and Jak was suddenly aware of the absence of weight on his shoulder.

"Dax?" He turned around to see a very familiar red head holding his best friend. Jak didn't even think as he jumped off the zoomer and stalked forward, a murderous glare plastered on his face. "What the hell do _you_ want!?"

Erol laughed and shook Daxter's limp body in front of him. "He should be more careful…lest he be knocked down," He grinned maliciously. "Or snatched off…"

Jak let out a feral growl and lunged at him, only to feel the sharp pain of a Krimzon Guard Rifle smashing into the side of his head.

Erol laughed harder this time as he stepped forward and kicked the unconscious Jak right in the ribcage.

"Orders, Sir?" The Krimzon Guard that had struck down Jak stood at attention, his masked face unreadable. Erol's smiled disappeared for a moment as he straightened himself and held the furry ottsel closer.

"Dump the body in one of those trenches over there." He motioned with his hand in the direction of the ditch/trench a few feet away.

"Sir?" came the confused response.

Erol growled. "We want him to come to use willingly you oaf! Killing him right now would make the Baron very unhappy." He looked down at the unconscious Daxter in his grasp and smiled thoughtfully. "The Baron is going to use his little friend here to break that Eco Freak…he's going to break Jak in half!"

----

Jak groaned and rolled over, his arm instinctively reaching for the fur ball he usually shared a bed with. Wait…Daxter wasn't there. He groaned again this time as he cracked his eyes open to see exactly where he was.

"Stay still." came a soft voice beside him. Jak jumped and realized how painful that made things. His head spun and his vision blurred as he collapsed back onto his pillow.

Images rushed back into his foggy mind, crowding out all thoughts of pain. A grinning Erol with the body of his friend dangling from one hand flashed through his mind. He didn't even know if Dax was dead…He just knew that…that Daxter was gone.

He opened his mouth to ask something but had a finger pressed to his lips. Opening his eyes again he stared pitifully at Tess.

"Jak," she whispered softly. "What happened to you?" Jak only grunted in response and hissed as the pain in his head erupted again.

He waited for the pain and nausea to pass before he said lowly, "He took him…"

"Who took who?" Tess asked confusedly.

"Daxter…that damn rat of his missing." Jak jerked his head to one side to glare at Torn who, as usually, stood behind his cluttered planning table.

"Daxter!? Who took Daxter, Jak!?"

Jak groaned and sat up, his hands going to his head as the pain brought the dizziness and nausea back. Tess gently grabbed his shoulders and tried to get him to lay back down. But Jak would have none of it, and pushed her hands away to stagger to his feet and make his way towards Torn.

"Erol. Erol took Daxter and they…"

"Knocked you out and threw you in a trench…That is unless you just fell over and hit your head on a pipe."

Despite the pain he was in from the knock to the head, Jak felt his temper rise dangerously. He clenched his fist and brought it crashing down on the table. Torn looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"We have to get him back."

"Ha! That worthless rat!?" Torn scoffed and motioned for Tess to leave. Jak watched her hesitate for a moment then stand up and make her way through the side door and into the main area of the Underground. The door clicked shut behind her.

"Yes…we have to—"

"We don't have to do a damn thing!" Jak's eyes narrowed. "That rat of yours is of no use to the Underground," growled out Torn, leaning over the table to put himself closer to Jak. "And he is of no use to me."

Jak glared, but said nothing. He was afraid if he opened his mouth to speak, he might just vomit all over Torn's maps.

After a long moment of glaring, the fires in his eyes blazing uncontrollably, he felt he could speak and, opening his mouth, said the first thing that came to mind.

"You have no idea how important Daxter is."

Torn blinked, this time looking slightly surprised. The emotions that Jak used when he spoke those words were raw and unfettered. Torn saw respect and an adoration in Jak's eyes that he had only seen when he looked at the small rodent. Could this dark soul truly care for someone that much?

Torn shook his head with a small laugh that through off Jak slightly.

"You know that no matter how you get to him, it will be a trap."

"I'm counting on it."

"And that I don't have the men to send with you for a proper rescue mission."

"I never planned on asking for your help."

Torn smiled briefly. "I'm so sure." He reached behind his back and tossed Jak a small canister. "This here is the last upgrade for your pitiful little gun." Jak promptly pulled out his Morph Gun and hooked on the cartridge. "I'm probably wasting this on you and your little rescue mission. Feh. Anyway, the rounds in there are like smoke or gas bombs. These, rather than stunning or injuring your opponent, will knock them out for a short period of time." Jak smiled despite himself. "It can hold only twenty rounds, and the spreading radius is about twenty-five to thirty feet. Here." Torn grabbed a small mask hanging from a nearby hook and chucked it at Jak's head. "Wear this if you even think about using that attachment. The last thing I want to see is the Barons smug face plastered on the view screen letting everyone know that due to the stupidity of one elf, the most powerful weapon in Haven City is once again his."

Jak grinned. He and Torn scrapped and butted heads often, but he was sure that Torn, despite his rather blatant dislike for Daxter, understood how much the two of them meant to each other. Jak fought back the slow throbbing ach in his right temple and turned on his heel to gather his belongings from his bunk.

As he headed to the door that led to the dead end alley he turned to look at Torn, but Torn was already glaring down at his maps.

Torn looked up after he felt Jak's eyes leave him and watched the door slide shut behind him. "Good luck kid. Your sure as hell gonna need it."

Jak stepped out into the night air, the warm breeze blowing through his hair. He'd go see Vin first to see if there was another way of getting that elevator back online again. If not…he'd have to improvise.

But no matter what…He had to find Daxter.

Daxter looked for him tirelessly for two years…and Jak would search for all eternity to find him.

End of chapter 1

Hope ya'll like it so far.

Read and Review and I will be SO happy!!!!


	2. Dark Plans

OO My oh my!!! All you wonderful people out there who reviewed!! WOOT!!!

**IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL!!!! I LUFF YOU!!!!**

**Crimson Vixen -**Live Bait RULZ!! **Kyoko; Descendant of Aura -**I know Erol would want him dead…but I feel he's more afraid of what the Baron might do if he disobeys an order D hehhehheh… **ElementalGoddess - **Thank you for the gush! Some effects WILL be good…but some will be bad…and with Myr and Lanya now on the case, he's gonna make a few 180's before he gets out **Krimzon 1 -**I know They bugged me too! I fixed them and they will stay forever more…PAGEBREAKS and SCENE CHANGES!!!! ::sobs:: **Midnyte**** Wolf -**OMG I am so happy ya like it that much! Woot! **Demyrie -**Oo OMFG…I love your artwork…really…this is an honor…thankies thankies thankies. I'm glad ya liked it too!! **Kami**** Count D -**This is still really rough…nowhere near good yet ::blushes:: You're giving my horrid writing too much credit!! But thanks anyway!! **Jemisard -**Another honor!!! I love your work…and I will try and fix those damn sentences. I know what you mean, but I've always typed the way I talk eh heh

Disclaimer: I own no one here but Myr and Lanya…Don't think anyone would want them, but if ya do or if ya wanna draw'em (I am, WOOT!) just lemme know.

This is really filler…just to get up to the main torture, change, torture, betrayal, rescue etc…

I really hope ya'll don't mind my mindless rambling in this one. I WILL get better.

Please…be gentle…it's not the best!

**Taming The Darkness Chapter 2 Dark Plans**

Daxter groaned as he felt himself rise from the depths of unconsciousness. He twisted his head slightly and opened his eyes. _What the hell happened?_ he thought as he tried to focus his vision. _I must have fallen off Jak's shoulder and been knocked out…_ Daxter blinked lazily and tried to open his mouth to call out for his friend…but he found he couldn't _and_ that his mouth was stuffed with some sort of fabric.

_Oh Damn_. Daxter groaned mentally. Was he chewing on the sheets again? Jak was going to kill him. _Better get them out of my mouth,_ Dax told himself as he tried to lift his arms—tried? Daxter's eyes widened suddenly when he realized that his arms AND his legs were securely bound to a rather large metal table by what looked like semi-circular pieces of metal and leather.

_What a kinky situation._ Daxter mused to himself, trying to lift the sudden weight that fell over his stomach.

His large blue eyes surveyed the room, and to his horror recognized the room as one of the many torture or "experiment" chambers that he had searched through during his search for Jak.

This was very bad. VERY bad. He was no longer even NEAR the Underground, and he was sure that whoever waited for him behind those cell doors were not his friends. He felt his breathing pick up and he felt like he was going to scream. The sudden panic ripped through his body like tiny knives, cutting away all his defenses and leaving him vulnerable.

And there was no Jak…

No Jak to hold him, protect him, carry him off and away from the fighting and the danger. Jak wasn't here to help him, and if he was he was in worse shape than himself.

Writhing against his cuffs once again, Dax fought back the urge to cry when they wouldn't budge even the slightest bit.

What was he to do…with no Jak?

-----

"Why are we here Myr?"

"I've told you Lanya, we are here to help the dear Baron with his limited knowledge of eco."

"But I really don't want to be here!"

Myr, who was a tall and lean elf, gently wrapped an arm around the smaller frame of Lanya. His pale, almost white skin stood in stark contrast with her dark grey skin, but neither seemed to notice. Myr tipped her chin up with his other hand and gold eyes met colorless white ones. "My Beauty," he said endearingly. "I no more wish to be here than you do, but without the Baron's money we cannot continue our research or our protection of our Island. You know this"

Lanya sighed and leaned against him for a brief moment before suddenly pushing herself away and standing just a short pace away.

Not a few seconds after her retreat, the door to the room they were in slid open and admitted an irritated Baron Praxis. Myr mused to himself about her foresight. The world may have taken her sight, but it gave her so much in return.

Praxis glared at Myr for a brief moment before motioning for he and Lanya to follow him. They walked, escorted by guards of course, deep within the palace.

"Baron Praxis," Myr started, speaking still from behind the Baron as he did not want to leave Lanya's side. "Exactly what is our purpose here?"

"We've already been over this. I need your help in finding new ways to introduce dark eco into a living body without destroying tissue and vital organs." He smiled over his shoulder. "We're tired of our subjects falling apart during our experiments."

"To what purpose will you use our information…"

"It doesn't concern you in the least."

"Very well then!" Myr snapped angrily at being so rudely and verbally plowed over.

Lanya gripped his gloved hand tighter.

Myr looked down at the smaller elf and was saddened to see the pained expression on his lover's face. She had a strong empathetic link to the things around her and her ability to see and read auras, despite being blind, made this prison beneath the palace a variable cornucopia of nightmares and pain.

He gently clenched his fist around her hand to show he felt her unease.

"Ah. Here we are." Praxis and the guards stopped in front of a large metal door with the numbers 228 painted on the outside. "This is going to be our newest subject for dark eco testing."

Baron Praxis leaned forward and pressed the button next to the large door and stepped back to watch it slide open. Smiling, he stalked in leaving Myr and Lanya to follow in his path.

Lanya hissed angrily as she crossed the threshold and the door slid quickly shut behind her. Myr patted her shoulder and took her hand once again as he led them to a large metal table that seemed to hold nothing more than a terrified Ottsel.

-----

Daxter watched the door slid open and felt his heart almost stop as Praxis made his way in. There was someone behind him, but Daxter couldn't make out who it was. Really, he was only concerned about the Baron.

"Sleep Well?" The Baron smiled down at him and he felt as though he would die from sheer terror right then and there.

He knew where he was. He knew the Baron knew this too. He remembered skulking in the shadows of rooms just like this while he looked for Jak. He remembered some of the horrors he saw as he did.

He remembered what Jak had confessed to him about what went on during his "sessions" while he was here, and he remembered how Jak would have nightmares because of them. They never lasted long, Jak's nightmares that is, because soon Jak would always wake up and clutch desperately at Daxter. But after getting back in a routine of work the nightmares stopped completely. But Daxter still slept beside Jak just in case…and he never spoke a word of the nightmares to anyone.

He knew that he would never be able to handle the madness of two years worth of that torture…he'd never make it.

"I've brought a few new friends to meet you and help with our projects." Daxter knew the Baron was just making it worse for him, drawing out the unwanted anticipation like it was to be a great surprise.

Daxter watched, slightly wide-eyed as two figures appeared behind the Baron, slipping into the brighter light and revealing themselves.

Daxter's eyes got wider. _They looked like Gol and Maia! _He couldn't help but look closer, despite his better judgment. They _weren't _Gol or Maia, but the resemblance was still there—their pale and grey skin, cold eyes, and odd colored hair…The male's was almost ash colored and reached down to the back of his knees in a thick plait while the female had platinum blonde dreadlocks that fell about her slim, grey shoulders. His gaze shifted nervously between the Baron and the two next to him.

Daxter gulped around the gag in his mouth and wished they'd at least take it out. The young woman next to the tall elf suddenly cast her gaze directly at him. Daxter gulped again. Her stare was enough to bore into your very soul, opening it and baring all its secrets to the world. He repressed a shudder.

Turning his gaze from her stare, he watched as the Baron grabbed a beeping communicator from his belt and walked off a few paces to yell loudly into it. With an exasperated sigh her stalked back over to the table and slammed his fist down too near Daxter's head to be deemed comfortable.

"It seems as though your freak of a friend is causing a lot of trouble in the city. It seems that he's been picking up more missions from that sleaze Krew." The Baron let out a derisive laugh. "Maybe he's trying to find you…or maybe he was all too happy to get rid of you."

Daxter's eyes narrowed_. Jak would never leave me! If he's doing anything for Krew it's for information on how to get me! I know it…I…I'm sure of it…_ Daxter couldn't help but look a little disheartened as Praxis bellowed out a deep laugh once again. "Pathetic little rat. Do you really think he'll come for you?" Daxter found himself straining against the gag and nodding fervently, not caring if he hit his head on the hard surface beneath him. Praxis smirked. "Well let's hope so…"

With that he turned to leave, his armor clanking loudly through the echoing chambers around them. He stopped at the door, and as it slid open he turned to look at the two standing just next to Daxter.

"I'll leave you two here to inspect our instruments and methods. The terminal over there can be accessed if you need it and should you feel like interrogating our subject, feel free. The cell has multiple security cameras and recorders, so any information you extract from that furry little ball will all be recorded. There _will_ be guards out side if you need assistance."

The Baron stepped out and the two watched as he ordered guards to stand watch over the cell.

Daxter turned his nervous gaze up to look at the two elves, and nearly screamed when the man reached for him. But when he realized that the long fingers were not going to poke, prod, or strangle him, but instead take out his gag, he relaxed slightly.

"The Baron seems oddly interested in you, my friend. Care to tell me why?" An ash grey eyebrow arched in question.

Daxter stayed quiet, not wanting to anger these two or give them any information.

"Could you tell us your name?"

Still silence.

"Well if it helps, I'm Myr Korvan and this is my assistant Lanya Orwe." Daxter merely tuned his face away from them.

He was glad that he had all that fur covering him because he couldn't help but flushing in embarrassment and shame. He had been caught and now his soon-to-be torturers were being nice to him. He _was_ pathetic if even the enemy felt sorry enough to be nice to him.

He heard Myr sigh in defeat.

"I don't know what the Baron expects us to do while we're here. I am NOT a torturer and nor am I one of his lackeys." Myr rubbed his temples in slow circles, wishing his sudden headache would disappear. "There is no way I'm gonna stand here and poke this Ottsel with a dark eco injector!"

"Myr…?" He turned around to look at Lanya; she had the most confused look on her face.

"Yes, Lan?"

"Why did you call him an Ottsel?"

Myr blinked in confusion and looked down to see an equally confused face on the small Ottsel. "Because that's what he is."

Lanya shook her head and reached out a delicate hand, pulling it back as though she were burned when it brushed against his fur.

"What is it Lanya?" Myr asked looking from Daxter to her.

"This is not supposed to be an Ottsel, Myr. I think he might have been changed." She turned her blind gaze and looked over at her master and lover, colorless eyes wide. "Myr…I think he's already been introduced to dark eco!"

----- (quick a/n: I WAS gonna stop it here….but I trucked on! Yay! caffeine!!)

Myr was pacing the chamber in deep thought. He had never seen anyone react to dark eco that way and it perplexed him.

He and Lanya both had been subjected to tons of the volatile eco, but they were not changed or harmed by it. You could say it was in their genetics. But this…this…boy, as Lanya had deduced, was an anomaly that needed to be tested and figured out…not tortured. He had to do something or his one chance to do something memorable would fly out the window and be shot down by numerous Krimzon Guards. Stopping suddenly and racing to the table where Lan and the Ottsel were still waiting, he proclaimed that he had made up his mind.

"What do you plan on doing?"

Myr looked down at the small animal and winked. "Well, my dear Lanya, we are going to interrogate this young man in hopes of learning valuable information!" he said dramatically.

"What! Oh no…Look buddy, I've been quiet long enough!! Daxter is NOT about to be subjected to this kind of treatment!" They turned to see him panicking, straining desperately at his cuffs. "Just wait till Jak gets here! Wait…wait when Jak…" his voice broke suddenly and he felt his body slow down, almost refusing to work. Tears appeared in the corners of his eyes and, now embarrassed by his actions, turned his head away once again from the couple before him.

"Daxter?" Lanya asked softly leaning forward and running her fingers through his fur carefully. "Is that your name?" She felt him nod. "Don't worry…we've got everything under control. But you'll need to tell us everything you know."

Daxter's head snapped around to look at them, embarrassment gone. "Oh I see what's going on here! Be nice to the prisoner and he'll spill everything. Well you can try something different cause I'm not going to tell you a damn thing!"

Both Myr and Lanya sighed. _I guess he has no reason to trust us. I guess we might have to do some major begging here._

Just as Myr was about to ask a bit more politely and possibly explain without giving too much away to the cameras in the process, the door to the cell slid open once again.

This time Praxis did not enter, but instead a rather well-toned red-head sauntered in.

"And who might you be?" Myr asked, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring down his sharp nose at the intruder.

"The name's Erol, Commander Erol of the Krimzon Guard." He smirked haughtily.

"Well goody for you." Myr hissed sarcastically, quite miffed that this intrusion may have cost them a great deal of information…and quite possibly the life of the boy on the table. "And why have you decide to grace us with your," Myr's lip curled up in a small snarl to reveal his whitefangs. "Glorius presence?"

Erol scoffed and loomed over the shivering Ottsel before answering. "Baron Praxis was quite adamant about getting the injections started on this rat as soon as possible." Erol twisted his head slightly to one side to give Lanya and Myr a sidelong glance over his shoulder. "And he was sure you two wouldn't have started interrogations yet."

Erol turned his attention back to Daxter.

Daxter didn't know why he was so scared, but he had a feeling it was because Jak wasn't there to back him up. Any other day, insults and snide remarks would have fallen from his lips in effortless cascades. But today…there was no Jak under his paws to reassure him he was safe, and he was bolted down to a cold table with Erol staring down at him with an almost maniacal glint in his eyes…Today Daxter was terrified.

He had not felt like this since he realized that Jak might have been lost forever.

Erol smiled down at him, and he saw Myr and Lanya appear behind him, both frowning.

Chuckling, Erol left the side of the table and walked over to the wall where a rather thick cabinet hung. Pulling it open he pulled out a long syringe filled with an acid-green liquid.

"Let's get this started, shall we?"

Daxter thrashed against the table, but as the needle pierced his neck and he felt the liquid making a searing path throughout his body, he couldn't help but think that he was going to die, and not even Jak would save him in time.

End Chapter 2...

Hope it was long enough and…::ahem:: Sorry if that royally sucked…not much going on there…just a lot of glaring, yelling, threats and disgruntled Dark Eco Sages. I do like Myr and Lanya…I might have a picture of them up soon… Check it out sometime…(www.goldbryn.deviantart) The link is on my main page too...heh I'm not great, but I'm not terrible

Please read and review…If I really messed something up, tell me, and I'll fix and repost!! Constructive criticism welcome and taken to heart, while flames are used to keep my Ash Salamander Klep alive. And to make s'mores…dammit they make such good smores.

-Goldbryn The Alien Frog


	3. Seeing Colors, Seeing Truth

OMFG…straight up…this is 7 pages!! O-O Man oh man. If that's too long, tell me…I'm trying to find a happy medium!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

I wanna say thanks to all those who reviewed!! I'll give you each a personal thanks next time…must get this up!!! Woot!!! I love you all!!!! Without you…I would be nothing!! NOTHING!

Hey..if ya wanna see what my characters Myr and Lanya look like...go to my deviantart site...links on my main page...

**Goggle Head Girl!!!! Jemisard!!!! Kyoko; Decendant of Aura!!!! ElementalGoddess!!!! Krimzon 1!!!! Kami Count D!!!! Courtney!!!! Demyrie!!!!** You guys made me feel SO loved ::glomps ya all::

**Taming the Darkness – Chapter 3 – Seeing Colors, Seeing Truth**

Jak strode purposefully into the power station, his mind only on one thing—finding a way to help Daxter.

He came in just in time to nearly have Vin nearly run him over with his little hover cart.

"Oh jeez!" Vin stammered setting down a few feet from Jak. "I'm sorry Jak! I didn't even see you there!!"

"Yeah…great." Vin raised an eyebrow at Jak's indifference. "Look, I'm here fr one thing and I need it done quick!"

"Um, okay….shoot…well, not really cause then that—"

"Vin!"

"Yeah, sorry!"

"Look. That elevator into the palace you got working for us a while back—is there anyway that you can get it up and running again?"

"Er…" Vin scratched his head, his eyes darting around the room. He jumped back onto his platform, the sides snapping up as he lifted off the ground. "You see the thing is: I very well might be able to get it running again," He tapped a few buttons and moved some things around on his screen. "BUT, even though those power boxes you switched on last time are still active, the rerouting I did for the power conduits have been blocked. I think the Baron might have found it and put an inhibitor on the switches!"

"So you're telling me if I get rid of the main inhibitor then it'll free up the power for the elevator?"

"Pretty much." Vin stated looking down from his lofty altitude.

"Fine, just tell me where it is and I'll get it done." Jak turned to leave.

"You? Just you? Wh-where's Daxter?"

Jak's shoulders tensed and he glanced over his shoulder, but mot at Vin. "He was kidnapped."

"I'm sorry." Vin said sincerely, his voice soft.

"Yeah, me too," Jak started, his fists clenching tightly as he turned back towards the door. "But I will find him…so make sure you get that elevator running." Vin nodded as Jak disappeared out the door

-----

Jak looked down at the small communicator in his hand, Vin's face appearing whenever the paranoid mechanic appeared in front of the vid-feed.

Vin had contacted him when he was almost halfway to the inhibitor to tell him that there had been a rather nasty lock put on the inhibitor switch. Apparently the only known key was in the possession of one Baron Praxis.

"Don't worry, Vin." Jak said with a small smile before he closed the communicator. "I think I know someone who might know where a spare is."

Jak growled softy and took a wide U-turn, nearly clipping a few pedestrians in the process, and headed for the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon.

-----

Lanya watched as the colored outline of Daxter's aura writhed and arched against the table. "What the hell did you do to him!?" She yelled angrily, not at all wanting to be here when they decided to torture this poor boy.

The blood red aura of Erol shifted and she expected he was facing her…but his aura was so chaotic, that she couldn't tell. He was insane. That's all she knew.

"I only gave him something to loosen his tongue." The red cloud drifted over towards the table again and she followed it, wanting desperately to lash out at him.

"A truth serum!? You gave him a truth serum?"

"My, my…for a little blind girl you sure are smart!" She heard Myr hiss in warning and felt him gently reach up and touch her shoulder. His warmth calmed for a moment, but not long.

Scoffing at his remark, she continued. "I can't believe this…you could kill him. And then, then all your precious plans and our help will be pointless!"

"Aw, sentiment—how touching." The hand tightened on her shoulder. "He can't be killed by nothing more than a truth serum!" Erol laughed and she watched as his aura shifted, red to deep crimson to almost black.

"But if he—"

"If he struggles too greatly, the serum could cause heart failure, blah blah blah." His aura shuddered around him and Lanya felt fear for the first time in a long while. This man was heartless…he enjoyed the pain he brought to other people. "Heh, only the strong willed have a chance at even possibly fighting of a Veratas Serum and I can tell you right now that this," Lanya got the impression he motioned in Daxter's direction. "--This rodent is one of the weakest damn things I've seen crawling around Haven City." Lanya felt her eyes close, the auras around her dimming and disappearing.

"You're a monster." she growled. Opening her eyes she saw they were filled with the color of blood and realized Erol must have gotten right in front of her.

She felt Myr's strong arm wrap around her shoulders.

"Me? A monster?" Erol laughed and she watched as the sickening color left to go stand beside Daxter. "Thank you."

Lanya pulled against Myr until she was free, but reached behind her and gripped his pale hand before starting forward.

Daxter was nearly sobbing, his mixed aura pulsating as he tried to fight back everything that was going through him. She could tell he was in pain, she could feel the pain herself like no one else could. The dark blue and dark green auras of both his selves twisted together in pulsing waves.

'Myr,' she thought towards him, feeling the familiar tug of their mental connection. 'We can't let him stay like this. We can't leave him here like this…'

It seemed like forever that she watched the blood drenched aura of Erol as he happily watched the thrashing Daxter. Finally she felt a comforting weight press into her thoughts.

'It could cost us everything here. We might loose our protection from the Baron.'

Lanya turned her head to peer into the depths of her lover's aura, the golden glow was solid and unwavering…just like Myr himself. He didn't care one bit about the Baron…she could feel that much. 'Then in the end, it's up to you.' She turned back around to see that the violent twisting of Daxter's had slowed, be he was still making small mewling noises as the serum continued through his system.

There was a small laugh behind her and she felt the sudden absence of Myr behind her.

His gold aura flitted by, making its way over to Erol's, and Lanya didn't need to be told what to do.

They were going to do their best to save this boy…even if it cost them what they were here for.

-----

It hurt. It hurt like nothing Daxter had ever experienced. The searing heat of whatever Erol injected into him traveled through his body like a wild fire. He felt it spread across his entire body and even to the tips of his fur before retreating from his limbs and pooling in his chest.

He felt his eyes stinging, the tears already soaking and matting the fur around his eyes and down his cheeks.

It was only when he thought that the pain was almost at its end that the heat that had pooled in his chest exploded. It felt as though someone had taken steel hooks and hooked them beneath his ribs, pulling them until his very heart and all things hidden were exposed to the world around him.

He began to writhe and twist against the leather and steel straps again, still knowing it was of no use, but hoping anyway.

He felt feelings surface and memories flash by as the pain worsened. He began to see pictures of Sandover, of Jak, of his life before dark eco. Then he began to see Jak as he saw him everyday…his friend and unrequited love interest. Daxter slowly began to panic. Could everyone see them, his thoughts? Could they see how he felt about his BEST friend!?

He tried in alarm to repress them, to keep them from the open air, but it only served to make the pain worse. A loud mewling cry escaped his lips and his bit down hard on his lip to try and stifle anymore. He heard Erol talking, but the white hot pain dulled his senses and he couldn't make out what anyone was saying.

Opening his eyes he was able to set his blurry and tear-filled gaze on a rather irate Myr that was stalking towards him.

"Kill…me…" he whispered to Myr, hoping the dark sage heard him. _I don't want to live anymore…I don't care if Jak comes…he won't be in time and I'm not as strong as him. Never as strong as him._ He pleaded with Myr, pleaded with his eyes…but Myr only looked down sadly and continued over to Erol.

Daxter let out a whimpering sob, fresh tears flowing down his cheeks.

He was never going to survive this…not without Jak.

_Jak…Where are you, Jak? I need you._

-----

Myr watched Daxter, watched as he gasped out something incoherently, and watched as his eyes pleaded for the pain to stop. 'Lanya…You better hurry up and get to him.'

There was a tinkling of laughter in the back of his mind. 'I'm getting there…you forget I'm blind?"

Myr rolled his eyes and stopped just beside of Erol. Erol looked up, his hazel eyes burning into Myr's gold ones. "Yes?" he asked angrily. He wanted to be watching the serum's effects on the small creature, not looking at some no-it-all researcher.

"I regret to inform you, that you will _not_ be interrogating this boy today."

Erol laughed. "Says who?"

Myr smiled. "Me." And with a single wave of his hand, Myr had sent Erol flying into the far wall where he slumped down to the floor unconscious.

Myr rubbed the back of his hand and pouted. "That hurt more than I should have."

"It's because of his hard head. Now, if you're done crying, get your ass over here and help me!"

Myr turned from where he was and practically sprinted the few feet to where Lanya stood beside Daxter, her long nails gently scratching his stomach in soothing strokes. Daxter still twisted, his face contorted in agony.

"Lanya, a shield, if you please." Lanya nodded and left Daxter's side, Daxter making a small croaking noise when her fingers disappeared from his fur.

Myr went to Daxter's side as Lanya lifted her hands and created a shield around themselves and the table. "Listen to me Daxter. If you want any of that pain to ease up, you need to except the fact that truths you wanted to stay hidden are now easily accessible. You need to realize that there is no way you can keep them from us!" Daxter howled in pain. "DAXTER!" Myr shouted in the ottsel's ear. "I give you my word as an Eco Sage and as a living creature that I will not ask you questions that will lead ANYONE to your friends or incriminate you. Please, just help _us _help _you_!"

Daxter's breathing slowly began to return to normal, but the crease across his brow showed Myr that there was something he still wanted to hide.

"Myr! I think they might be heading back up…"

"Daxter, what happened to make you like you are today."

Daxter groaned, and opened hazy blue eyes. "I feel into a vat of dark eco."

"You _fell_ into a vat?" Myr looked confused, but Daxter nodded.

"Where?"

"Misty Island." Daxter's voice was a straight monotone, no emotion, no inflections…it was unnerving.

Myr's eyes widened. "What…When!?"

"Before we came through the time rift." Daxter let out a ragged breath and closed his eyes again in another wave of pain.

"Wh-who would use a whole vat of dark eco for…for anything!?" He hadn't been asking Daxter, only talking to himself, but Daxter answered anyway.

"Gol and Maia."

"Gol and Maia!?" Myr cursed. "Those damn lunatics…I'd truly hate them if they weren't my ancestors…"

"Myr!!" Lanya shouted. "Hurry UP!"

"Right, right." He focused back on Daxter. "Daxter, do you know if there was anything done to the eco you fell in?"

Daxter's eyes were screwed shut as he shook his head. "I think it was pure dark eco."

Myr chewed intently on his bottom lip, trying to figure something out. He very well could do it. If it wasn't diluted or contaminated he could just reverse the effects. He knew he could, he knew he could do this. Myr looked down at the pained creature in front of him.

"Daxter, tell me…Would you rather be and Ottsel or would you want to be put back to normal?"

Daxter's eyes widened for a moment in shock then in consternation. "I don't care…so long as…so long…"

"'So long as' what!?" Myr pressed.

"So long as I'm with Jak."

Myr and Lanya both turned to look at each other. Daxter turned his head and refused to look at them so Myr smiled and ran his fingers over Daxter's brow in a comforting gesture.

"Daxter, if I could possibly make you human again, would you want me to try?"

Daxter felt his stomach fill with butterflies and he looked up almost happily.

"Yes."

"Well," started Lanya, her voice slightly hitching. "Whatever you guys plan on doing had better be done quickly…I can feel people making their way up here!"

"Alright. Daxter, this won't hurt a lot, but it will sting so I suggest you brace yourself."

-----

_Brace myself? Apparently Sage-Boy's never had this serum shit shot directly into his blood stream. I remember the dark eco bath I took…if this works…if it's anything like it was then…I'll be able to handle it like a pro!_

Daxter watched through blurry eyes as Myr leaned down and with one swipe against each leather strap, Daxter felt a limb go free.

Soon he had curled himself in a fetal position, trying to keep the pain from spreading anymore. It hurt and it still burned through his veins, but not as fiercely as it had nearly half an hour ago.

He felt Myr's cold hands on his back and felt his fingers snake down across his belly. His cool fingers felt wonderful against his hot fur and he prayed that they would take some of his heat away.

"Now hold still Daxter." Myr whispered softly. Daxter felt Myr's fingers getting colder and colder. He felt that familiar crackle of energy that Jak got whenever he transformed…the same cold energy he felt coursing through every cell wall of his being when he took a tumble into that dark eco so many years ago.

Something deep within him stirred and he knew right off he didn't like the feeling of it. As the coldness increased and the pain from the serum decreased, that thing deep within him began to fight its way to the surface.

What was it? Why was it there? Daxter felt questions race through his mind at warp speeds, but they were moving to quickly by for him to ask them aloud. He soon uncurled from his fetal position and laid himself flat on the table, twitching every time Myr sent a wave of dark eco through him.

This isn't so bad…No, this isn't so—Daxter's eyes widened as he felt something bubbling inside of him. He felt as though another part of himself was suddenly trying to get free. Not wanting to let it go, he began to thrash about, trying to knock away Myr's hands.

"Daxter," he hissed. "I have to do this! I have separate you from the dark eco or—"  
"NO!" Daxter gasped and tried more vigorously to get away. "I don't want it out…it doesn't…it doesn't feel right!!"

Myr pressed down hard on Daxter's small chest and Dax realized that he was no match for the larger elf.

He lay there for what seemed like forever, Myr's chanting and soft words echoing in his ears. The darkness that lay within him, the darkness that everyone has but casts aside, the darkness that fed off the dark eco so long ago…it was there, waiting. Daxter could feel him and he wondered if this was how Jak felt.

Myr's whispering got louder after a long moment, and Daxter felt the terrifying darkness within him recede. Daxter also suddenly began to feel the cold air of the cell around him. He felt as though things had gotten quieter, but it was merely his hearing returning to the way it once was. He felt his body lengthen, bones re-growing and fur disappearing to reveal pale skin.

Reaching up shaking hands, Daxter ran his fingers down his face and felt a regular nose, lips, eyebrows, a hairline and bangs…he felt his long ears and shaggy hair. He lifted his hands and looked at his fingers—something he hadn't been able to do for years.

Feeling hot tears well up in his eyes, he looked past his hands and his gaze fell on Myr who looked a bit more than a little tired now. Daxter sat up, his heart racing. Was it true…could it really be that he was…was back to normal. Legs! He had his legs back. They were a bit more toned, but still lanky…still his! Myr smiled at him, his hands on the table the only thing keeping him from collapsing.

"Th-thank you." whispered Daxter, one hand going to his face to wipe off tears that were now flowing unabashedly down his cheeks. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"

Daxter was about to jump on Myr and hug his brains out, when the shield around them suddenly disappeared. Both looked over at Lanya only to see she was now sprawled out across the floor, her blood blossoming out beneath her on the metal floor.

Erol stood over her, a maniacal glint in his eyes and a dagger in his right hand. "Guess the little blind girl isn't _that_ smart after all."

Myr growled and lunged forward away from the table and straight at Erol's face. Erol never moved from his spot beside her, only smiled.

"Calm it down," he stated simply, a spike shoe coming down to press dangerously on Lanya's head. "I wouldn't want to crush such a pretty face." Myr glowered. They seemed to stand there staring at each other for hours. But it had only been a few seconds after Myr's attack was halted, that the door slid open and nearly half a dozen guards rushed in, guns raised.

Myr hissed angrily, but didn't move. All their work…ALL their WORK! Lanya groaned from where she was on the floor and a soldier bent down to pick her up. It seemed Erol had sliced her shoulder and hit her across the face. A dark bruise was forming over her ash grey cheekbone.

"Well, well, well…" Erol made his way around Myr to the table that held a very naked and very terrified Daxter. "It seems as though you dark eco types run in packs!" He poked at Daxter's arm.

Daxter hissed in pain, not entirely use to the feel of his skin yet.

Erol then turned to look at the soldiers holding Myr and Lanya. "Take them up to block 3 and lock'em up. We'll deal with them later"

A soldier jerked Myr towards the door, jabbing him painfully with the end of his rifle. "Move it!" Myr bared his teeth at the soldier before calling out to Erol, "I will kill you for this, mark my words!"

Erol watched as the Krimzon Guard left with the two Dark Sages and opening the communicator on his wrist he smiled at Daxter in a most unpleasant way. "Baron Praxis?" There was a snappish reply. "You really need to get to cell block 5, number 228 right away! Our newest test subject has just done a very nice trick for us."

End of Chapter 3!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!! I can't believe I finished this…I really hope this doesn't suck big time. It's real long…I think too long…yeck… I wanted to bring up a few facts in this one, but I fear they may have gotten lost in my rambling. It's currently 12:45 am on Christmas…or Christmas Eve…I do hope ya'll like…

::grins:: I think I'll like the next couple of chapters!!

Next time on "Taming the Darkness": Will Daxter EVER get saved? Where is Jak now? Why is Erol insane? Where are the lollipops!? Is Keira, Ashelin, or Sig EVER gonna show up in this fic? Will Goldbryn? What's a Metal Head's favorite candy? What is Myr and Lanya's past? (I'll actually be writing a story on that) What is this darkness in Daxter? Will it ever leave? Has it gone already, or is it just hiding and lying in wait…? Hmm…where's my shoe…Oh dear…::falls over dead:: sleeeepy….

READ AND REVIEW cause it makes me joyous…and it's Christmas…and I love you!!!!


	4. Escaping

Thanks To: **goggle head girl, crimson vixen, Jemisard, Midnyte Wolf, Confusedweirdo, Littlest Snowflake From HELL, Krimzon 1, Lana Burton!!!!! And all those who did not review but are reading my story!!! Love you!! ::twitches::** Review please…PLEASE!! I wanna know if you at least it's worth continuing…Just for the people reviewing NOW I'm gonna keep going, but it makes me feel better to know people aren't reading this and grabbing a fork to stab in their eye!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! I dunno what I'd do without all youse guys!

Gonna put this on DeviantART soon…waiting for more chapters though! Gonna draw more for it too…

ANY IDEAS? Lemme know! YOU WANNA DRAW!! Go RIGHT ahead! I think it's be cool to have someone else show me what they think my characters would look like and how certain scenes would look done by the great artists out there! WOOT!

ANY-WHO! On with the story…It's (just so ya know) got no Dax in this chapter…mainly about Myr and Lanya's escape, The meeting with…well anyway, just read! Thanks! squeee

**Taming the Darkness – Chapter 4 - Escaping**

It had been one of those missions again—one where, in the end, the result rarely ever helped Jak even though Krew said it would. His latest mission had involved a zoomer, KGs, and Jak's ability to run them over. The only reason he had done this was because there was a guy who was paying Krew to have the KG "handled" temporarily…And Krew told him if he helped out, that information on the main power conduit would be his.

All Jak got was another vague spot to go search at.

He really hated this city sometimes.

------

It had actually been easy to find out where the inhibitor was located. All Jak had to do was beat the ever loving sense out of one KG who ran the main power lines near the palace.

After that, it had been quite easy to traverse back to the industrial district, break into what amounted to a vent shaft, and shimmy his way to the inhibitor location.

Jak smiled at the glowing brace that was wrapped securely around the main power source and reached into his pocket to pull out a key card. "This had better work." he said to the air around him, and promptly slid the key into the small slot over the keypad on the switch.

The lights running down the key pad's side blinked and with a hiss of air, the large inhibitor circlet unhooked and fell to the ground with a loud 'clank.' He grinned proudly as the large conduit flared back to life, its dull lights now glaring brightly into the dark room around it.

Jak let out a small cheer before turning tail and hauling ass out of the small room.

_Just hang on Dax. I'll be there in no time._

------

Myr watched as his precious Lanya was roughly pushed down the stretch of hallway, and couldn't help but think how he'd love to kill every guard that had ever touched her.

Her dark hand was lifted and pressed to a still slightly oozing wound on her shoulder, and drying blood still caked her arm and even her cheek. She was beginning to look pale, and Myr knew he'd have to get her help soon or she very well might collapse.

Once they put her in her cell there wouldn't be a guard close enough to touch her…then he'd get them out of this mess.

Sure enough, when they reached the cells they were to be locked in, Lanya was shoved harshly through the doorway and the door was locked shut behind her.

Myr smiled.

Before any of the guards were able to even try and move him to his cell, he had already attacked. The dark eco that coursed through his veins burned with pure anger. One guard turned only to have a clawed hand smash through his face visor, shattering the glass and crushing the metal against the man's face. He fell without a sound and Myr went for the other three.

His physical body never changed, but his mind became darker. He controlled the darkness, not the other way around, but he couldn't help but feel the overwhelming influence it had on him.

Amidst the sounds of broken metal and bones, he was very aware that he loved every moment of the carnage.

The last guard put up a valiant fight, bringing out his hand gun and shooting at Myr like there was no tomorrow. One round sliced through Myr's loose pants, just grazing the skin beneath. Myr whirled around eyes blazing and, with a loud growl, took a flying leap onto the guard, his hands gripping the sides of the helmet.

The guard barely had time to register what Myr was doing before the Dark Sage snapped his neck like a frail twig.

After the chaos Myr just sat there trying to regain his wits and fight back the ever present anger he had channeled.

He would have just liked to sit there forever, but a soft voice broke the eerie silence and brought him back. "Myr? Myr…what's happened?"

Myr looked over his shoulder almost sadly. "I've taken care of our watchers." he said almost deadpan, his voice toneless.

"Get me out." It was a simple command that he had no problem with following. Her voice told him everything he needed to know at that moment. She hated when he acted like such an animal, and she knew exactly what had happened before she had asked. He knew she did. She just wanted to make sure he was back to himself.

Searching the bodies of the fallen guards he was able to scrounge up the key to her cell and promptly let her out. She looked more than a little upset.

"Why didn't you just tell me you were going to do this? I could have helped." For a moment, that single question made Myr want to cry. She sounded so hurt, so emotionally wounded.

But even then he couldn't help but laugh, and laughed even harder at her disbelieving look, taking her in his arms and hugging her close. "You were weak from your wound and I didn't want you to spend much needed energy on trying to protect my sorry hide!" She sighed and pushed away to look up, her eyes falling on his forehead, as she was still staring into his aura.

"That the real reason?"

"Honestly?" She nodded. "I didn't feel like being bested by you today."

Lanya smiled up at him. "Good answer."

Myr kissed her gently, forgetting completely where he stood. "Let's get the hell out of here! Maybe we can…"

"Maybe we can find Daxter's friend?" Lanya finished hopefully, her eyebrows knitting together anxiously.

"You read my mind." Myr scooped her up and held her close to him, one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. "But first, we have to find you a doctor to stitch that gash up!"

"Tis merely a flesh wound!" Lanya said dramatically as Myr turned and hurried down the hall, hoping not to run into any Krimzon Guards before they reached their exit.

-

It had taken them no time to find the main exit, Myr only having to get through a small handful of guards before reaching it. The door slid soundlessly open, dumping them off near the slums. As it closed, they heard the sound of multiple locks clicking into place and a computer voice sounded stating, "You must have a pass for this area."

Lanya sighed against Myr's shoulder. "I guess we won't be able to get back in."

"Not at the moment. But I think we better keep our eyes," He looked down at Lan's annoyed expression. "and other…ah…various senses on the lookout for this Jak fellow that our small friend seems to care about so much."

"Right."

Myr sighed and looked around at the trudging populace of the slums. "Now for the daunting task of finding someplace we can get you help."

------

It had taken nearly all day for Myr and Lanya to find anyone willing to help them. And whenever they did find someone useful, they always sent them on some weird hunt for someone else. It was quite unnerving.

Myr grunted and shifted from foot to foot, gripping Lanya's waist tighter as they made there way down an alley that seemed to be a dead end. Lanya groaned and Myr looked down at her pale pallor and slumped figure. "Dammit!" he hissed upon seeing the dead end. "What the hell do these people think we're looking for?! All I wanted was a Precurser-Forsaken med-lab!!"

"Well we've got the only med-lab this side of Haven." growled a rather gruff voice from behind them. Myr spun around, taking Lanya with him in a quick 180.

The man in front of them glared quite pointedly at the two of them. "Can…Can you please help us then?" Myr raised his eyebrows hopefully. The man only sneered.

"If we helped every sorry lump that came stumbling through the allies, we'd be knee-deep in dead weight." Myr frowned. "Give me one good reason why I should help you with anything?"

Myr clicked his tongue in annoyance and lifted Lanya back into his arms. "How bout I give you three?" The man smirked, his tattoos moving as he did so. "One: She's been like this for hours and I don't know how long she can hold out, two: We just had to fight our way out of the Baron's Palace and would be most grateful if this damn city WASN'T the death of us…Which brings me to point three: We have to find someone for a friend of ours who's in A LOT of trouble…So if you wouldn't mind getting off your high horse and extending the slightest bit of hospitality to us, we'll be sure and not clutter your floors for too long!!" Myr was panting now, his pale skin flushed. He heard Lanya's weak chuckle.

The man before them only let out a gravely laugh before ducking through a graphitized door, his hand waving them inside.

Myr let out a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before he followed. The room he found at the end of the staircase was not very big, but it was mainly filled with bunks and a large planning table. There was a door off to the right that probably led farther into the surrounding buildings.

The tattooed man turned to face them and waved his hand to one of the nearest bunks where Myr gently placed Lanya.

"You wouldn't happen to be the dignitaries from that Misty Island would ya?" He smirked again.

"Yeah? What of it?" Myr began to pull off Lanya's gloves and push her dress sleeves down so he could fully see the gash on her shoulder.

"Just wondering is all…and wondering what you could have done to warrant an escape."

Myr tensed. "Are you going to help us or not?"

"Fine. Whatever." The man walked purposely to the door off to the right of the room. Opening it wide he hollered into the dark depths for someone named Tess. It was only a moment before a young woman with bright blond hair and a rather bubbly attitude came waltzing in the room. "Tess?"

Tess turned and smiled, not even seeming to notice the two newcomers. "Yeah Torn?"

"Could you please fetch a green eco jar?"

Tess blinked and looked him over before turning around and looking over the room, her eyes landing on Myr and Lanya. She gasped, a hand flying to cover her mouth. "Yeah, sure!" Without another word she turned and sprinted out of the room, returning moments later with a small thimble-sized bottle filled with what could only be green eco.

Myr looked on in surprise. "You're really going to let us use this eco? Even though there's a shortage?"

Torn smirked. "We stock pile the stuff…just in case any sorry lumps come stumbling down our alley." Myr couldn't help but smile and turned to watch Tess as she gently tipped the small amount of precious eco onto Lanya's gaping wound. Before his eyes the wound began to close up, the dried blood cracking as the skin pulled together and sealed itself back up. Myr ran his fingers over Lanya's brow, who only smiled sleepily.

"Rest Lanya. We'll start out search for Jak tomorrow." Lanya nodded and within seconds had drifted off into much needed sleep. Myr stood up and turned to look at Torn. He gave the tall Sage an odd look.

"Why the hell would you guys be searching for Jak?"

Myr twitched. "You know Jak?"

"Know him? I ask that guy to put his ass on the line almost everyday!"

"And what an ass!" Tess giggled. She blinked almost surprised at Torn's rather odd look and then giggled again before picking up the empty jar and bustling out of the room like she had never even been in there.

Myr waved his hands in front of him as if warding off something nasty.

"You're telling me that this Jak works for…" He looked around. "Whatever you have going here?"

"We're the Underground. We're working to stop the Baron…"

"Good luckwith that." Torn glared. "Ah…sorry. Lanya and I are in the same boat. Wait. Kay, look! Does this Jak that you say works for you have a friend by the name of Daxter?"

Torn got a disgusted look on his face. "Yeah…a little orange _rat_ that clings to his shoulder all the time."

Myr grinned happily and fought back the urge to shake Lanya awake to tell her the news. They were one GIANT step closer to helping their friend out of his rather precarious situation. "Thank the Precursors!!" Myr clapped his hands together happily.

"Why exactly are you looking for him anyway?" Torn leaned back on his table and raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Cause I know where the Baron is keeping his friend." Torn nearly fell over.

"How would you know that!?"

Myr looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Mainly cause we were supposed to help in his…ah…'treatments'."

"WHAT!?"

"Yeah…not to grand a reason, but it's true." Myr scratched the back of his neck anxiously as he looked up to see the pure anger rise in Torn's eyes. Why did this man make him feel so small…so incompetent and…and so guilty? "But that's why we left, that's why we tried to help him!" Torn seemed to relax a bit at that. "We decided NOT to help Praxis with his dark eco treatments and were in the middle of getting Daxter when we were caught. I'd still have gone through with it…but Erol and his damn guards were too close to Lanya and…"

Torn held up a hand, his eyes closing for a brief moment before opening slowly to look Myr up and down. "I understand. You don't have to explain any farther. But how did you know about Jak?"

"Daxter mentioned him quite…amicably before things got ugly."

"And you two are just a couple of good Samaritans, eh?"

Myr sighed and made his way over to stand in front of the small furnace in the top left corner of the room. The small heat coming off the surface was enough to knock the chill off the tips of his fingers. Myr shivered. "What they were planning on doing to him was inhumane."

"Even for a—"

"Even for a Dark Sage." Myr looked over his shoulder at Torn for a moment before turning to face him. "Just because I am the only Dark Eco Sage to emerge in three decades doesn't mean I am an evil person."

Torn raised his hands in a show of surrender. "My mistake."

Myr wrung his hands together for the longest moment, his fingers slowly warming up. When had it gotten so cold? Was it because of the loss of sunlight? Or was his sense trying to tell him something was going to happen? He sighed. "Do you have any idea if

Jak will even be back within the next day?"

Torn had opened his mouth to reply when the Underground's main entrance opened with a grating whisper. _Speak of the devil._ Torn mused and motioned matter-of-factly in the direction of the frantic elf now barreling down the stairs towards them.

Jak leapt the last couple of steps and took off towards Torn. It took him only a moment to catch his breath before he began to talk.

"Torn! I was able to get the power back on for the elevator, but I was wondering if you had any extra rounds for that gun mod you gave me?" Jak looked suddenly at Myr, his sharp eyes searching the sage's face for something that Myr was very unsure of. "Who are you?" He turned to look at Torn who only scoffed.

"These two drug themselves all over Haven City just to meet your royal pain-in-the-ass." Jak looked at them quizzically and leaned slightly to his left to look behind Myr at the still slumbering Lanya.

"And why is that exactly? I'm kinda busy."

Torn gave a deep, guttural laugh. "Apparently these sages have information on the whereabouts of your little orange 'shoulder pad'."

Jak's eyes widened. "Daxter!? You know where Daxter is!?" Jak lunged forward, wrapping his fists into the front of Myr's robe and shook him smartly. Myr waited a long moment for his vision to stop spinning before he answered.

"If you shake me like that again, I might forget!'

Jak looked slightly embarrassed and let go of his robes. "Sorry."

"No worries. Now…about finding your little friend…"

End O' Chapter 4!!

Hope it was up to code!

Next time on TtD: hmm…I see a rescue being planned and carried out, I see torture and pain, I see happy smiles and warm hugs, I also see…what the hell…OO ::giggles:: Wait and see!!


	5. Cold Metal

If you got this twice...I'm sorry...for some reason is not SHOWING the 5th chapter of this...you can get here by link...but it's not WITH the story...irks me...the story even SAYS it has 5 chapters, so WTF? Oh well...

THANK YOU TO THE 5 (5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED ON CHAPTER 4!!! Wow…I went downhill fast…::laughs:: Oh well…I'm still typing!! WOOT!!!!

I am SO sorry it took so long. School, Gameboy, Manga, art, and work has interfered greatly in my will to sit down and type. Um okay….

WARNING…this chapter is CRAP! That's right….Grade-A Hooey!! ahem sorry…My brain fried halfway through the typing of this…so there might be some "Must-Hit-Myself-In-Face-With-Keyboard" moments…ignore them and leave…before you die!!!!

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE…reviews keep me somewhat sane!

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**Crimson Vixen:** I'm glad ya like Myr and Lanya…I wanna do a separate piece on them…hmm… ::huggles::

**Cin****-Min:** Sorry for the Cliff Hangers…but hey…sometimes ya just need'em right!?

**Demyrie** I'm glad you like Myr and Lanya too! I'm So happy people have not hated them for being OC's. ::glomp:: you rule!

**Jak and Dax Freak:** I. Love. You. ::hugs::

**CassieCats** Read and See for all is revealed NEXT!! WOOT!

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**Taming the Darkness – Chapter 5 – Cold Metal**

Daxter groaned loudly as his eyes slid open, the dull acrid smell of metal and other unpleasant variables assaulted his sensitive nose. He wiggled himself slightly and felt the new cuffs on various parts of his body.

Unfortunately they weren't limited to just his ankles and wrists this time. He felt cold and biting metal wrapped over his knees so he couldn't bend them, felt the metal on his arms--cuffs over his wrists, elbows, and even what felt like a skeletal brace that pinned his shoulders down, dipped down across his neck, and snaked up to fit just over his chin.

He couldn't move any part of his body no matter how hard he tried. The best he could do was feebly clench and unclench his fists, nails scraping against the meal table.

There was only a single light glowing softly in the empty room, and Daxter's eyes desperately wanting to fix on it, to see it. But it was out of his immediate view, and his new bindings prevented him from turning his head.

His whole body hurt, his very skin was tingling. Not that nice tingling sensation, but that one you get after your leg started to wake up…that feeling you get just as the numbness fades and the pins and needles set in. Daxter groaned when the air around him seemed to drop a few degrees. He no longer had fur to help keep him warm.

He didn't have any fur.

Despite his rather pitiful situation, Daxter felt himself smile. The dull, metallic surroundings around him didn't seem so threatening in that moment as his mind fully registered what had happened with that Dark Sage.

_I'm back to normal._

He didn't remember much after he had watched Myr and Lanya practically carried out. He remembered Erol's eyes on him, that cruel and leering gaze that stripped you of all comforts and made you feel like a scared child. He remembered those hazel eyes leering down at him, thin lips moving, saying something—but all Dax heard was a faint buzzing noise as the edges of his vision bled into blackness.

Then he awoke here.

Where was here anyway?

It looked similar to the room he was in, but he was sure that the table hadn't been this big last time.

Daxter tried to shift, absentmindedly trying to remove the numbness in his ass and lower back.

He had no idea how long he'd been out of it, and later he'd realize he had no clue how long he'd been awake—just staring blankly up at what he suspected would be the main instrument of his inevitable torture.

Oh, yes. Daxter had given up on his earlier futile hopes of being rescued _before_ he had to endure any of the dark eco injections. He was a master of lying to himself when things got bad. So long as he psyched himself up enough he could take on a herd of charging metal heads…mind you, that was usually when Jak was with him anyway. But this…he couldn't lie to himself about this one.

He just wished that someone would come for him.

He knew that no matter what, he'd hold out for as long as he could and pray that he was rescued before he _and_ his sanity snapped like frail twigs.

Daxter suddenly felt a solid cold lump settle in the pit of his stomach as the door to his cell slid open with a deep hiss. Cold air circled the room, causing goose bumps to appear all across his bare skin.

Muffled, booted footfalls echoed against the metal walls as someone came striding in. Daxter felt himself shiver uncontrollably.

"So," chuckled a soft voice, right next to his ear. Daxter jumped and strained desperately to see who it was that was speaking to him, even though the cold ice in his gut told him exactly who it was. "It seems as though our little Science Project has decided to wake up." A flash of red caught his eyes as the voice sent a rather foreboding feeling deep inside of him.

Erol chuckled and moved out of his line of sight.

"G-go fu-fuck yerself." Daxter growled out, trying to sound much more in control than he actually was. He was rewarded by a rather uncomfortable silence, and the sudden terror of not being able to see what Erol was doing out of sight settled over him.

Luckily, it seemed as though Erol was in a forgiving mood, if he ever had a mood like that, as he bypassed Dax's snappish remark and continued with another deep chuckle.

Daxter almost gasped when he felt an ungloved and cold hand gently brush over his cheek, his eyes darting to see Erol leering down at him. "You happened to have missed our dear Baron's visit while you were out—"

"I weep bitterly for my loss." Daxter snarled, trying his best to shake his head so Erol's hand would leave his cheek. The hand only pressed harder, Erol's fingers trailing down his jaw to the metal brace that held his chin.

"Have you ever heard the expression, 'It is unwise to have bad blood between you and your executioner'?" Daxter scoffed and opened his mouth to say something, anything to piss him off, anything to keep his own mind off the inevitable. But before a word could even be spoken, he was viciously cut off. The hand left his cheek and in a blur of tanned skin and red, fingers and knuckles bit into the soft cheek that the offending hand had been on earlier.

Daxter's eyes widened, his overbite coming painfully down on his quivering lower lip as he bit back a pained mewl. He couldn't turn to hide his embarrassment, so Erol gazed down almost happily at the flush that spread out over Daxter's cheeks.

Erol absentmindedly wiped his hand on the front of his trousers. He was wearing the normal deep crimson of the Krimzon Guards, but instead of his racing suit and armor, he had on a tight fitting red tunic, gold stripes still lining the sides and draping over his shoulder where the Precursor alphabet spelled out "Commander". The tunic was long, split up each side and fell to his knees, but was tight enough around the middle that he did not need a belt at the waist. Matching crimson slacks were tucked into black boots and, surprisingly, his racing mask was no where to be seen.

Erol busied himself for a moment, walking away from the table and leaving a brooding Daxter to fume silently. Time seemed to pass slowly as Daxter tried to keep from going insane. He didn't know what to expect and dreaded the moment when Erol would come back in view.

He felt a cold draft travel through the cold room and felt himself shudder again. He was pretty much naked save for a thin sheet draped over his hips, held down by steel balls and wire like the ones used to hold the sheets on the cadavers in the morgues.

He didn't have much time to dwell on his lack of clothes before Erol reappeared beside the table and began circling it like a vulture. Daxter stayed quite. It was a long moment before Erol finally stopped and leaned over Daxter, so close Daxter had no choice but to look at him.

"Don't look so afraid! This won't hurt…Much." Erol laughed, leaning back slightly and holding up a rather large syringe, the needle itself a hands length, filled with a violent black and purple substance. Daxter's eyes widened.

_Jak…oh great fucking sages, Jak…please don't leave me here!!_

-----

"Why are we still here!?! We need to go get Daxter back NOW!!" Jak nearly screamed as he impatiently paced the floors of the Underground. "W-we need to leave NOW!!" Jak's hand came crashing down on Torn's table causing both Torn and Myr to jump slightly.

"There's no need to rush in blindly Jak, you know that! It could put Daxter in more danger than he's already in!!" Jak whirled around glaring.

"It's not like you really care anyway, Torn! I swear to the gods—I'm going. I can't stand just sitting around here while my best friend is tortured!" Jak twisted on his heels, not hearing Torn's objections and made his way to the door. He had just reached the door, the stone slab sliding up, and he pushed his way outside…only to run into a rather hard object. Groaning lightly after he caught his balance, he glared up to whoever he had run into, ready to bite their head off, only to see Myr peering calmly down at him.

"You were going somewhere?"

Jak's mouth opened and closed a few times in confusion before he finally shut it completely, not having anything to say. How had Myr gotten outside without having to have passed right by Jak?

"Get back inside please. We're not going until tomorrow."

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do!?" Jak snapped, finding his tongue and lashing out.

In an instant and a blur of pale colors, Jak found himself pinned against the wall next to the Underground's entrance, Myr mere inches from his face, fangs bared. "You will NOT leave. I don't care how much you care for your friend, but I will NOT let you endanger him unnecessarily!" Jak let out a growl and pushed against Myr's hands which were twisted in his tunic. "When Lanya and I escaped, that whole fucking palace was on high alert; every Krimzon Guard in running distance swarming through the back hallways and looking for any and ALL things out of the ordinary!!"

"I-I…" Jak mumbled pushing harder against him, not really liking how true Myr's words were ringing. He knew it was stupid, but Daxter was in there…all alone…in pain…he'd take on anything to get him back. Jak was slightly surprised when Myr's fingers loosened their grip and Jak slid to the ground, his knees giving out under his weight and his hands reaching up to scrub at his face.

He felt Myr kneel across from him, his pale hand coming to rest on his shoulder. "I know you want to get him, I know you don't like the idea of him staying there longer than possible…but I guarantee you that they'll have kept him alive. He will be alive and we will do our damnedest to get to him tomorrow. Just…just rest and get your strength up. You'll need it." Jak watched Myr stand up, and watched as the Sage who had pinned him to a wall without a problem extended a manicured hand to Jak.

Jak took the offered hand and was pulled to his feet.

_Tomorrow.__ Tomorrow we'll be there Dax. Just hold on till then._

-----

When you're trying not to focus on something, all your mind wants to do is bring it up and twist it around in your mind, not letting it disappear for even the briefest of moments.

The pain had been excruciating. It had been a reasonably short "session" and after his body had been wracked with the initial doses of dark eco, he was moved to a different room, probably his original room, and strapped down with the conventional straps.

As morbid and disgusting as it was, Daxter understood why he had been so heavily bound, unable to move even his head.

As Erol had held up that awful syringe, he had laughed and for a moment as he put the syringe back on the table; Daxter had thought it had been some sick sort of joke.

He had been very wrong.

Erol had then picked up a set of 3 long tubes, each with long needles on the end. With the sickening ease of too much practice, Erol slid a needle into each of Daxter's arms, just at the inner crook of his elbow, and one just slightly under the skin of his neck. That was the main one. If Daxter had thrashed, which he tried to do, the needle would have fatally sliced his artery…causing him to bleed to death.

But he was unable to do that.

After the needles had been inserted, the tubes were led up to an IV bag that held a swirling mix of purple and cloudy blue.

Diluted dark eco.

The eco began to drip down the IV, down to the needles, into Daxter's vein and into his blood stream.

There was a moment of numb shock—kind of like when you turn the tap on as hot it will go and briefly run you hand through. There's that moment where you're surprised it actually feels cold, not painful, until the scalding heat catches up, turning your skin red and bringing tears to your eyes.

That's all Daxter could feel. For the briefest moments it was a horrible and nauseating chill that was followed by white hot pain. And this wasn't even pure eco!! Daxter groaned, feeling the vile substance course through his veins.

As if this wasn't bad enough, along with the ever present gaze of Erol, the commander finally picked up the large syringe. Daxter was thankful when the IV drip stopped, the burning in his veins still pulsing with every beat of his heart, but slowly dying away. But in that same moment, terror gripped him as the deviated IV tube had the end of the syringe pressed to it, and in a second, Erol had begun sending pure dark eco through.

This was worse. So much worse.

Daxter let out a choked scream, his back desperately trying to arch, his arms pulling against the metal, his entire body shuddering violently from the searing pain that now raced through his very veins. He let out another scream, angry and pained tears stinging his eyes.

That's all there was for the longest time. There was nothing but pain…and laughing…a mad, humored laugh that ran in his ears, no where near deafened by his own screams.

And that was all he heard before his vision blackened once again and he fell into a fevered unconsciousness.

-----

And that's how he got here, in the smaller room he had originally started off in, more insane instruments for the sessions laid out so he could see them.

As far as he knew, they would just leave him here until Erol got bored enough and came back to continue. _I bet he liked to kick puppies when he was a kid._ Daxter bitterly thought as he tried to silently assess the damage to his body.

He could see a small dribble of dried blood on each of his arms where the needles had been, dark bruises blossoming under the cracking blood, and was sure there was a similar one on his neck. The long white sheet was still draped haphazardly over his hips, and even for this thin bit of cloth he was thankful. His entire body ached and something tingled unpleasantly in the back of his mind that made him dread closing his eyes. His stomach growled softly and he was suddenly aware of how hungry he was. He was sure he hadn't eaten in two or three days, but he had no way of actually knowing.

Daxter groaned and twisted on the table for a moment before letting out frustrated growl. _Why do they even want me?_ He screwed his eyes shut against the dim light of the room and felt that annoying tingling sensation explode almost painfully. His eyes snapped open, his heart jumping up into his throat and beating loudly in his ears.

_What the hell was that!?_ He tried to forget the unwelcome feeling that still lingered, making his heart pound and his stomach to sink. The room suddenly felt very cold.

He would just have to hold out…The room dropped a few more degrees and Daxter began to worry. What was going on? The tingling sensation began to grow and Daxter felt the sickening feeling spread over his body and then retreated to pool in his chest…just like the eco had when Myr was changing him…

Daxter gulped when the familiar stirring started again.

A shadow that had been buried deep within him, feeding off the dark eco that he was once so much a part of. Daxter whimpered as he felt it stir again, this time making him feel very uncomfortable. He screwed his eyes shut from the awful feeling, twisting slightly, and was rewarded with something akin to a laugh…a laugh that did not come from anywhere else but the very back of his consciousness. He opened his eyes once again, praying the dim light was enough to shut up this new voice.

_What is going on!? What is this thing I'm feeling?_ Daxter shivered. "Oh gods…What's happening to me?

--

Lanya smiled to herself as she and the two guys made their way quickly to the front of the palace. Through the back alleys and the side streets, it didn't take them long to reach the stairs of the palace.

"Now Lanya…are you _sure_ you'll be alright here for a while." Myr asked softly as all three stood out of sight from the general population.

"I'll have to be won't I?" She laughed and straightened her long t-shirt.

To keep the two sages from standing out too much, they had opted for wearing clothes that were more…common. Myr had one of Jak's blue tunics on (without the straps, eco-ring, and armor) but on his long arms, the sleeves only reached halfway down, and the fingerless black gloves he was given were folded down. He had kept on his black pants and boots and doubled up his braid so it was no quite as long.

Lanya had borrowed a flowing, gauzy shirt from Tess and a long pair of flared white slacks that were covered in an array of belts and buckles. The shirt hung off her dark shoulders, the light green standing out nicely, and when the light hit it you could almost see through it. No wonder Tess liked it. Lanya was also carrying something that looked like an old woven mat, the colors contrasting brightly with each other.

"Now, you remember what to do?" Myr raised a thin eyebrow, aware that Lanya could not see the action, but could feel it.

Lanya smiled, shifted the mat in her arms and reached up to give Myr a playful slap. "Stop treating me like a child Myr. I know what to do. Wait for your communication and provide a helpful distraction. Got it."

Myr smiled and kissed her forehead. "Alright, Love. Stay safe."

Jak, who had been lookout for the moment, turned to Myr and grabbed his arm. "C'mon…there're no guards. Let's grab a zoomer and head over to the elevator." Myr nodded, and with an extra shove from Lanya, took off after Jak to look for a zoomer.

Lanya turned to the steps of the palace and slowly made her way to the very end of the step's massive railing. She unfurled her mat in front of it, pulled out the hidden shawl, wrapped herself in the long thin material and sat down on her mat in the ancient Lotus Position. Placing her hands on her relaxed knees, she began to meditate, her opened but unseeing eyes staring off over the buildings.

--

They were almost to the elevator when one of the massive view screens that were littered through the city flickered to life, showing Praxis' ugly face to the whole of Haven.

Jak and Myr stopped out of morbid curiosity.

"Attention Haven City!" started the massive profile of Baron Praxis. "We are currently in possession of someone rather important to the fugitive known as Jak." The picture of Praxis shifted and he was staring more intently down at the world below. "We are keeping your ...ah heh heh…'friend' here in captivity. If you surrender yourself to the Krimzon guards, Jak, we will release him with no harm done …But if you refuse to surrender we WILL take drastic measures so that you have to live everyday knowing he is dieing slowly because of your lack of action." Jak growled and Myr snarled, scaring the random passersby slightly. "In the end, it is up to you Jak." And with that, the screen once again went back to its blank face.

Jak was too angry for words at the moment and took off without Myr towards the elevator. Myr had to run to catch up. He said nothing as they quickly made their way to the building that held their entrance.

--

Jak had nearly screamed when the elevator took MUCH longer than it had before. But when they reached the top and were able to step out and see across the entire city, and see the palace in plain sight, Jak calmed down a little.

Jak looked over the long, thick steel cable that connected their tower to the palace. It was laden with booby-traps and obstacles that would take a little maneuvering to get around.

Jak had not bothered to turn to look at Myr, but had jumped down to start across the cable.

He was surprised when, in mid jump, he was smartly snatched out of the air by a pair of long arms. He peered over his shoulder at Myr who had a very amused look on his face and was levitating forward slowly towards the palace.

"You really wanna take the long way over? Or should I carry you?"

Jak glared and turned back to face the palace. "If you weren't dangling me hundreds of feet in the air, I'd hit you." His glare appeared over his shoulder at Myr once more. "Hard."

Laughing louder Myr took off at a faster speed, Jak pressed against him, his own arms wrapped around the young man's chest. "I'm sure you would."

"Hey, why couldn't you just levitate up here? Why did you need the elevator?"

Myr chuckled. "Too much power to lift us both…plus I had no idea there was an entrance all the way up here!"

They continued in silence, the wind whipping their hair and clothes about.

--

The odd tingling feeling throughout Daxter's thin body had finally subsided enough so that he could close his eyes without worry.

He just lay there, absently thinking about things to think about to keep his mid from thinking too much about his predicament.

Letting out a small sigh, he shifted himself on the still chilly table, and hissed when his sore muscles screamed in protest. He wished that they would throw him in an actual cell like a normal prisoner. He was very tired of just lying here.

He had been in silence for so long, that when the door slid open with a hiss, he was very close to practically screaming. Breathing heavily he waited anxiously for whoever it was to come into view.

Sure enough, a shock of red caught his eye and he looked right into the empty hazel eyes of Erol once more.

Chuckling, Erol leaned against the table leering down at Daxter. "Nice nap?"

Something boiled inside of Daxter as he gazed up at Erol's leering and smug face. He couldn't wait for Jak to get here… "Ah yeah, great nap. Mind you, suddenly having to look up and see yer ugly mug makes me wanna take another trip to Nightmare-land." Erol's lopsided smile faltered for a minute before twitching back.

"I'm glad to see you've gotten some of your energy back." He pushed off the table and headed to one of the smaller tables off to the side. "Maybe you'll last a bit longer with the next session." He laughed. "But don't worry, eventually, if not soon, you're body will get so use to the amounts we'll be injecting, you'll stay conscious the entire time."

Daxter strained against the leather straps, glaring at Erol. "I don't plan on staying here that long."

"No?" Erol turned to face him, a rather long strip of thick leather in his hands.

"No."

"Well…I admire your hope—Even though it's a very useless emotion." He strode back over, and with one hand pushed Daxter's chest down and threw the strap over him, locking it down on each side. The strap stretched just over his chest with three metal-lined holes that formed a triangle just over his heart. "Now that your body has had the initial doses of dark eco, you're more than ready for the actual Sessions." His smile was sickening as he brought down the machine that hung over head. It was a very odd machine with cylinders and tubes running beneath the metal skeleton. The largest cylinders ended in needles, three to be exact. And as Erol brought the machine down lower, Daxter noticed that the three needles fit perfectly into the holes over his heart.

He gulped loudly and tried to twist away from needles, but it was no use.

"Ready?" Erol flipped a switch on the console next to them and then hit a large yellow button. The tubes and smaller cylinders began to rotate, to glow, and to hum. The dark eco filled needles just barely scratched the skin of his chest and he was suddenly aware that they were never even meant to break the skin.

It was controlled saturation.

Before Daxter could make a snappish reply to Erol's question, the electrified eco poured out of the needles, dancing over his skin like black fire and searing the three entry points.

The scream that was torn from Daxter was raw and hoarse…and to his horror he found that not even this pain, as Erol had mentioned earlier, was enough to knock him out.

--

The palace was not teeming with excess guards, but there seemed to be a bit more than usual. It didn't take Myr and Jak long to traverse down the winding hallways, Myr trying to remember where exactly Daxter had been stashed. The elevator they finally found took them straight to the floor that Myr remembered arriving at with Lanya.

Escaping the view of a few guards by hiding behind some rather large Krimzon Crates, they waited for a long moment until the coast was clear.

"I think it should be around the next bend." Myr whispered softly as the crept along the wall and disappeared behind a large console that was set up down the hallway next to them. Peeking from behind it, Jak was actually relieved to see a rather nice handful of guards patrolling the front of one rather ordinary door.

"That has to be where he's being kept." Jak hissed out and started out from behind the console, only to have Myr pull him roughly back.

Myr shook his head saying nothing and then pointed to the door again. Jak sunk lower behind the console when he saw Praxis make his way around the far corner and to the door with the guards. There were words exchanged, but nothing very intelligible, before the Baron disappeared into the room. Jak looked both anxious and hyped up. Myr could tell Jak wanted nothing more than to rush in, guns blazing. He sighed and put his hand on Jak's shoulder.

"Just hang in there Jak…I have to make contact with Lanya." Jak grumbled something angrily, but made no more moves towards the guards. He had come this far…and Daxter was so close…Jak turned away to watch as Myr hunkered down low, his eyes closed tightly and his mouth silently moving to form words that were never spoken.

_Just a little while longer Daxter…Just wait a little while longer…_

--

The pain had been so much worse than anything he had been through yet…though it was much shorter lived than the others. He was getting VERY tired of having to go through this, and the idea of being in here as long as Jak was made his skin crawl. He respected Jak before this, but now…Jak was God.

Daxter just lay there as Erol flitted around the room tearing off sheets of paper from random printers and going over them silently to himself. He wasn't doing this for long when the door hissed open again. Daxter was much too focused on lowering his heart rate and stopping the annoying buzzing in his ears to really care who just stalked in.

He wasn't surprised at all to see Praxis stroll by and stand next to a pensive Erol.

Erol smiled at the Baron and handed him the stack of papers he had just been rifling through and then pointed to a small machine next to Daxter's table that occasionally beeped.

This went on for about fifteen minutes, Baron and Erol both pouring over the sheets that held, after Daxter had picked out a few choice phrases, what seemed like his stats and progress.

And they both seemed happy about them. Daxter had hoped his scrawny hide was mucking up their experiments.

"I'm very pleased." He heard Praxis announce at one time, rather loudly, before dropping his voice a bit lower once again—as if Daxter really cared what they were saying.

Some more words were exchanged and Daxter's ears pricked when he heard Jak's name. Erol was glowering down at another folder that was not related to him. "He's actually doing much better at accepting the eco than that failed experiment Jak." Daxter bared his teeth, but found he could not open his mouth to speak. So much as a finger moved sent him into painful convulsions.

_I think I'm going to throw up._ Daxter thought pitifully. He saw more movement, and trying not to twist himself too much, he watched as Praxis moved away from Erol for a moment and started talking to someone through the communicator on his arm. Daxter had no idea what was being said…but he _did_ notice it made Praxis almost happier than his little stats sheet.

It wasn't long before Praxis had slipped out of the room, disappearing from Daxter's and Erol's view.

"Well," Daxter jumped when Erol suddenly spoke to him, and found how much that simple action hurt. "It seems as though your boyfriend has decided to finally storm the fort." Erol's smug face peered down at him, getting uncomfortably close. "He is an idiot to think that Praxis will actually let you go if he surrenders." Erol laughed coldly in Daxters ear before moving to start the machine up again.

Daxter's eyes widened then brimmed with angry tears. _Jak…no…_

--

Jak and Myr watched as the door slid open and Praxis stalked out taking two of the six guards with him.

They waited another few minutes longer before deeming it safe to leave their hiding place.

The remaining guards fell quickly and quietly. Jak took out the two closest ones with two shots from his Vulcan and Myr was able to disarm and snap the necks of the others almost silently. They smiled at each other and Myr quickly picked up his two guards and threw them behind the console. He did the same with the other two as Jak leaned against the door listening for anything that could be dangerous.

"Let's go before someone else shows up!" Myr nodded and without a moment of hesitation, he hit the small panel on the door.

--

The door was opening again.

But he didn't care.

He was too busy trying to think of something, anything that would keep his mind off the pain and away from this dark reality.

-

Erol watched the small boy on the table and smiled. This boy was accepting the dark eco on levels even Jak was unable to achieve. They weren't seeing any outwardly physical results, but internally his cells were being saturated at a much higher level. He was very sure it was because of what that Dark Sage had done to him earlier…changing him and all.

Erol's eyes tore themselves away from the twitching body on the table to look up at the door as it slid open.

To his chagrin it was not Praxis who entered, but someone that he had no intention of ever seeing making it this far without being in cuffs.

Erol threw his clipboard down and took off towards him only to be tackled by someone he did not notice coming in with Jak.

Myr gripped his throat and slammed his head into the floor. "Bastard! That's for Lanya!!" Myr went to hit him, but was surprised with a vicious uppercut.

Jak ran in after Myr. He had never seen Myr this angry before.

He was practically livid.

But taking the sudden rumble as another distraction he turned and spotted a familiar table in the middle of the room, the dark eco injectors spinning in familiar and unwanted ways. But as Jak got closer, he noticed no orange fur or a thick tail, but human legs, human thighs. There was no Ottsel on that table.

His heart dropped. _It's not him…it's not the right room._

"Myr I don't think we have the right—" Jak was suddenly cut off by a pained wail and was reminded that there was some poor soul who was being subjected to the injections. Jak sprinted to the panel on the table and slammed his fist down on the first button he saw. When that didn't stop the whirring and clicking behind him, he looked around for anything to stop it. He didn't want to start hitting buttons, he might make it worse. Finally giving up on finding a button labeled "STOP", he sunk to the ground and ripped off the metal facing of the panel and tore into the wires that were there. After a moment of sparks and flying embers, Jak peered up and saw the pale hand of whoever was on the table stop twitching, the sounds of the machine slowly dieing away to be replaced by heavy breathing and the scuffle across the room.

Jak couldn't help but feel completely worthless for a long moment. All this work and it wasn't even the right room.

There was a loud crash and Jak peered over the table and over the heaving chest of the prisoner to watch as Myr and Erol grappled. Myr had the upper hand and was wailing on Erol, claws and fists flying as the Dark Sage savagely beat the Commander of the Krimzon Guards. He stopped for a minute, sitting up and dragging a noncompliant Erol to his feet. Looking over his shoulder and straight into Jak's eyes he snarled. "Dammit boy! Get your friend off of that damn thing!"

Jak was confused. "Myr this isn't…"

"Jak?" came a low, hoarse voice beside him.

Jak's heart jumped hopefully as he slowly turned his head to peer into a set of crystal blue eyes he had not seen framed in anything but orange fur for more than three years. "D-Daxter?"

Daxter was back. His scarlet hair and golden roots, messy bangs, buck teeth, lanky build, and even the smattering of freckles across his cheeks were there. He looked like he did back before the Misty Island incident.

Daxter smiled softly at him, tears streaming down his face.

Jak practically jumped higher than the table getting up, and within a matter of moments, had undone ever buckle holding Daxter down. "Oh gods Daxter! I can't believe it!!" He reached over at the still rather weak looking Daxter and lifted him up, cradling him securely against his chest. "How the hell did this happen?"

"Explain later." Daxter groaned out loving the feeling of Jak's arms holding him up, supporting him. "I hurt…" Jak frowned and tuned to Myr.

"Myr we have to leave! NOW!"

Myr looked up from his perch on Erol's chest, his eyes glowing dangerously.

"Myr?" Jak took a step back, slightly worried about the man that was crouched before him. But the intensity in his eyes disappeared in a split second and Jak was looking at the normal Myr yet again.

Myr looked down at his blood splattered hands and frowned, then looked at the unconscious and badly beaten Erol beneath him. His eyes held no remorse though, only vengeance. But had he gone too far? Maybe he should just kill him and end it…

But before that was even feasibly possible, Jak had yelled for him again and took off towards the door. _Dammit__ all!_ he mentally growled before pushing himself off the floor and sprinting after Jak, leaving the bloody form of Erol behind him.

--

It hadn't taken long at all to get out of the palace. It was much easier than sneaking in, even with the extra weight of Daxter.

Jak smiled to himself. _Daxter…_

The palace was soon teeming with guards, obviously having seen through whatever illusion Lanya had cast—of course, by then it was too late and the two rescuers had made it safely outside where they hid and waited patiently for a large four-seat zoomer. They still had to pick up Lanya.

Myr drove this time and Jak sat in the back holding Daxter to him as though the world would end if he didn't. They were all silent, even Daxter who had drifted in what seemed like an uncomfortable sleep.

Without stopping, Myr had scooped Lanya up into the zoomer and headed off towards the Underground.

Lanya smiled over her shoulder, her dreadlocks blowing in the breeze. "Happy now?"

Jak blinked, his eyes shining, and nodded. "I'm still really confused as to how this happened, though." Jak said, obviously meaning his friends transformation. Lanya looked confused for a moment then laughed.

"Myr! Great Sages, Myr, we never even told the boy what we did!" Lanya laughed, Myr blushed furiously, and Jak raised a confused eyebrow. "Dear Jak. Your friend's new form there was done by Myr. He changed him back…" She giggled. "Why didn't you tell him Myr!?"

Myr's blush spread. "I forgot to tell him honestly." He glowered from beneath his blush at the road and felt the flecks of dried blood on his face crack when he did. Lanya gently patted his shoulder.

"It was a better surprise then." She smiled and turned back around to face the front.

After a long moment, right before they reached their destination, Myr spoke up.

"Lanya dear…What exactly was the illusion you cast for the distraction?" Jak's ears twitched and he looked up from once again studying Daxter to look forward. Lanya's carefree giggle erupted again.

"Oh…you don't wanna know."

"Yeah we do."

"No. You don't"

"C'mon Lanya." Jak pressed. "Please?"

She laughed this time. "Nothing too extravagant: It was only an illusion of you Jak, and Myr, running around in your underwear kicking at the front doors of the palace." She smiled, pleased with herself.

-

And throughout Haven, in the late hours of the afternoon when the most common noises were the zoomers and the hustle and bustle of normal city life, there was an outraged and a near hysterical "WHAT!?" that rang through the city.

-TBC-

UM…end of CHAPTER 5!!!! Yay?

I'll try and do better with my updates…I promise…

Sorry if this sucked!!!!!!!!!!!


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